Echo's From the Past
by Angel's girl
Summary: Once again i have re-vamped this story and added chapter 7 please read and review
1. Default Chapter

Echo's From The Past - Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I don't own them and the only thing I receive from this is the satisfaction from writing it.

Spoiler: Any episode is fair game for spoiler's here

Feedback: Please

Author's Note: The song is Let it Rain by Amanda Marshall

Echo's From The Past

Chapter 1

Buffy collapsed onto her bed and closed her eyes to the coming darkness. She welcomed it readily and hoped that with it came a dreamless oblivion. Her dreams usually were of him and she didn't want to dream of him tonight. She didn't think she could bare it, not after what happened earlier that day.

It had been a bad day for Buffy from the moment she rolled out of bed 45 minutes late for work. It just kind of spiraled downward from there. First she stubbed her toe on the way to the bathroom, then her shower was cold, she ran out of her favorite vanilla honeysuckle shampoo and her favorite blouse had a stain of unknown origin on it.

When she got downstairs she found the milk for her coffee was sour and the coffee was too strong, she had burnt her toast and then she couldn't find her car keys. When she finally did find the damned things she couldn't get her car to start. Her taxi was another 20 minutes late and by the time she had set foot into the office she was ready to call it a day.

Buffy worked for Willow as a personal assistant. Willow had become a Doctor of both medicinal and holistic approach. She worked in an office with two other traditional doctors and although Buffy helped the other receptionist cover the other doctors Buffy handled Willow's affairs personally.

Buffy had her own private office right beside Willow's where she had all the files on Willow's patients. She hung her sweater behind the door and dropped her bag on her desk. She picked up her hands free headset and headed to the front desk. 

Buffy picked up her messages and looked over her patients for the day. She was fully booked, double booked in some cases even. Damn.

"Morning Buffy."

"Morning Susan, sorry I'm late it's just shaping up to be one of those days."

A mother of one of the patients approached the desk.

"Excuse me, I'm sorry but my daughter just threw up on the floor."

"Okay we'll take care of it, like I said Suz one of those days."

If Buffy had known the extent of it she might have opted to stay home in bed.

By lunch time she'd had five late patients, four no shows, three children had vomited in the waiting room, two had peed themselves and the bathroom had overflowed thanks to an overzealous three year old in the throes of potty training. Buffy grabbed her lunch and a stack of files and made for her office.

"Susan can you handle the desk?" Buffy asked.

"Yea sure, why?"

"I'm going to duck into my office and multi-task." She replied as she held up her files in one hand and lunch in the other. Susan just laughed and turned back to a patient that had walked up.

Buffy was hunched over her desk writing away with one hand while trying to stuff a forkful of macaroni salad into her mouth with the other so she didn't see Willow standing in the doorway.

Willow took a moment to regard her friend. Buffy looked tired and thin. The years had been difficult for her and they were beginning to take their toll on Buffy physically. 

"You know I'm sure we could survive long enough for you to take a few minutes to actually enjoy your lunch."

"I know Will, I am just having one of those days and I'm a little behind. Besides if I allow my brain to think about nothing then it will think about him and I just can't handle that right now."

"Alright suit yourself, oh by the way I have a new patient coming in this afternoon for a consult visit do you think you could meet him and get the vitals?"

"Why is it Will that I always get to do the male patients?"

"You just seem to relate better to guys. Thank you so much for doing this Buffy. I owe you. Susan will let you know when he gets here."

"Yea you bet your life you owe me."

Buffy went back to her paperwork and had almost gotten through the whole stack when she heard it.

"Buffy?"

One word. 

Just one simple word.

Just one simple word that flipped her world upside-down and shook her to her very core.

~*~*~*~*~*~

Liam had walked into the doctor's office and walked up to the front desk.

"Can I help you?" Susan asked.

"Yes my name is Liam O'Neill and I have a new patient consultation today with Dr. Rosenberg."

Susan shuffled some papers on her desk until she found Dr. Rosenberg's appointment book. She ran her finger down the page until Liam's name caught her eye. There was a note that Buffy not Willow would be conducting the consult.

"Okay Liam if you come through the door and go down the hall here to the right, about three doors down is an office. In there you should find Buffy, she's doing your consult. She is Dr. Rosenberg's personal assistant."

"Thank you."

Liam made his way down the hall and looked into the office at the girl sitting behind the desk. He couldn't believe it. It was the girl who had been haunting his dreams for the last tens years.

There were subtle differences between the vision before him and the goddess of his dreams. For instance her hair was a warm honey brown instead of the flaxen gold he remembered and slightly longer. Even though she was sitting he could see that although thin she was curvaceous, a body matured with time where as his girl was just that, a girl of maybe twenty or so. She looked pale and tired as evidenced by the bags under her eyes but all and all she was the girl from his dreams.

She was real, she was the reason he had found his way back to Sunnydale. It took him a moment to compose himself before speaking her name.

"Buffy?"

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Buffy looked up at the owner of the voice cursing the Power's for playing with her heart like they did. I mean how cruel was it to have somebody have his voice standing in her office. Her gaze trailed up…

and his build…

(and up.)

and his face…

Buffy visibly paled when her hazel met his chocolate brown. She couldn't believe it, he was here after all these years. He had promised to find his way back to her and although it had taken entirely much too long for her liking here he was.

Angel.

Her beloved Angel.

She was about to launch herself over her desk and into his arms when he spoke, shattering her heart instantly.

"Are you Buffy? The girl at the desk said I could find Buffy back here. I'm supposed to have a new patient consult with her now."

He didn't know her? How could he not know her? This was Angel she could feel it. She knew it in her soul but he didn't know her.

Buffy took a deep breath and held her hand out to him.

"Yes I'm Buffy. It's nice to meet you."

"I'm Liam O'Neill."

Buffy braced herself for his touch long since denied. 'Angel's' hand engulfed hers, cradled it really in his palm. A bolt of fire ran up the length of Buffy's arm and straight to her heart sending a rush of warmth through her. The electricity in the air between them, caused by them, crackled and hummed and was almost palpable. 

For a moment they seemed to be locked like that and helpless to do anything about it. A whimper escaped Buffy's throat as the sensations flooded her. It took everything in her not to launch herself into his arms. 

Finally almost reluctantly 'Angel' let her go and Buffy struggled to find her voice.

"Liam…that's Irish right?" Her voice was shaky at best.

"Yea it is." Liam didn't seem to be faring any better.

Buffy then set out to get a background history on Angel…or rather Liam O'Neill. The most interesting thing being that Liam was in fact single.

As Buffy asked the list of questions in her new patient package she took the opportunity to really look at 'Angel'. He was still stunningly beautiful. He was after all preserved quite well at age twenty-six to technically he was just under forty now. He was still muscular and lean and Buffy knew she would still fit perfectly against him. 

He was tanned and the sun had lightened his once dark locks to a color almost matching her own. He had just the tiniest hint of gray starting but you wouldn't notice it unless you were scrutinizing every last little detail of him like Buffy was doing. However the most dramatic thing about him was his eyes. He still had that intensely soulful stare that penetrated you to your very being but gone was the guilt and the eternal pain. I guess not remembering what or who he was freed his soul.

When Buffy had finished with Liam she watched as her hearts desire walked out of her office. Buffy dropped her head in her hands and tried desperately to control the grief and shock that hit her so intensely it almost made her physically ill. 

"Hey Buffy are you okay? Buffy?"

Buffy looked up at Susan her eyes wet with tears that were dangerously close.

"Actually Susan I'm not. I have to leave. Tell Willow I'm sorry but I got sick to my stomach."

With that Buffy was on her feet, her bag in hand, and she was out the door.

Buffy found herself at a quaint bar down a ways from the office and she was desperately trying to find solace in the bottom of a bottle of wine, solace and peace. She listened to the song that played in the background and tried not to remember what she couldn't forget.

I have given, I have given and got none 

_Still I'm driven by something I can't explain_

_It's not a cross it is a choice_

_I cannot help but hear his voice_

_I only wish that I could listen without shame_

_ _

_Let it rain_

_Let it rain on me_

_Let it rain oh let it rain_

_Let it rain on me_

_ _

_I have been a witness to the perfect crime_

_I wipe the grin off of my face to hide the blame_

_It isn't worth the tears you've cried _

_To have a perfect alibi_

_Now I'm beaten at the hands of my own game_

_ _

_Let it rain_

_Let it rain on me_

_Let it rain oh let it rain_

_Let it rain on me_

_ _

_It isn't easy to be kind with all the demons in my mind_

_I only hope one day I'll be free, I do my best not to complain_

_My face is dirty from the strain, I only hope one day I'll come clean_

_ _

_Let it rain_

_Let it rain on me_

_Let it rain oh let it rain_

_Let it rain on me_

_ _

_Come take my hand_

_We can walk to the light and without fear_

_We can see through the darkest night_

_ _

~*~*~*~*~*~*

_ _

The Battle of the End of Days: Ten Years Ago

Sunnydale 2001

The end of day's battle had come upon them quickly and had caught them off guard. One moment everything was fine and then the next the Hellmouth was open and every demon imaginable had been spewed forth to rampage the small town. 

Buffy and the gang had moved into action immediately but it was overwhelming and within a few days the small town of Sunnydale, California looked like a war zone and it was all Buffy could do to keep the death count to the demons.

Buffy had organized the evacuation of homes and herded the townsfolk into the university. She had set up living quarters and a medical area as well as recruited a small army to help keep the beasts at bay. Luckily some of the Initiative were still around and they were able to bring in reinforcements, among them being Riley Finn.

However Buffy still needed extra muscle so even though it had been almost a year since she had told Angel to keep out of her life she didn't hesitate to call him now.

~*~*~*~*~

Los Angeles Ten Years Ago 2001

Angel had been on edge for the past few days. Demon activity had all but completely dropped. It was calm, too calm, like the calm before the storm. So he waited and when the call had come in from Sunnydale he wasn't surprised. He hadn't been there when the call came in but he had a bad feeling when he saw the message light flashing.

"Angel, I don't know what things are like there for you but things are crazy here. The Hellmouth has opened and we are swimming in demons. I'm doing everything I can to keep people alive but there are just so many demons, some we've never encountered before. I need you Angel. I desperately need your help. I know things have been difficult for us lately but…please Angel I can't do this without you. We all need you guys to help stop this thing. I hope to see you soon. We've set up base at the university. I love you Angel…I need you to know that in case…please come."

Angel and his crew didn't think twice about coming to Buffy's aide. When they had arrived they stood and watched as Buffy delegated not showing one ounce of the fear that Angel clearly heard in her message.

Gunn stood behind Angel and Cordelia and watched in awe as the little blond dished out orders and handled things. He was curious about how she would be in a position of authority and was about to ask Angel when she turned to them and headed their way.

"Angel thank you so much for coming. Cordelia, Wesley it's good of you to come too."

Buffy looked past the familiar faces and settled in on Gunn.

"Hi I'm Buffy."

"Charles Gunn."

"He works with us." Cordelia said.

"Oh okay so then he's up to speed on the whole existence of demons thing."

Gunn nodded and Buffy then began directing them as too where she needed them to be.

"Okay Cordelia I need you to go with Willow to help look after the survivors, Wesley I am sure Giles could use your Watcher expertise in trying to find a way to seal the Hellmouth, Gunn are you combat ready?"

"Yes ma'am."

"Good." She picked up a portable radio and spoke into it. "Xander, Xander I need you at the main base now."

Buffy waited for a response but she got only static.

"Well Gunn once I can track Xander down you will go with him and he will see to it that you get supplies and get briefed as to our plan of attack."

Angel was standing back just kind of blending into the background and he watched Buffy go. She was amazing to watch but he knew she was terrified. He could smell her fear. It was a siren's call to his demon within. Angel watched as a young man dressed in fatigues approached Buffy and Gunn, a young man he knew all too well.

"Buffy?"

"Where's Xander, Riley?"

"Patrol."

"Alright, can you take Gunn here and bring him up to speed. He needs weapons and supplies and show him where he can stow his gear and anything else he needs to know."

Riley turned to look at the guy Buffy was referring to.

"What the hell is he doing here?" Riley demanded pointing past Gunn at Angel.

_Shit_, Buffy thought to herself, just what she didn't need.

"Angel is here to help. We need all the manpower we can get."

"That is not a man. That is the enemy, a fucking demon for crying out loud."

"Riley!" Buffy's voice held a warning that both Riley and Angel knew all too well but Riley foolishly decided to ignore it.

"Jesus Buffy you are supposed to be the vampire Slayer and he is a vampire, a master vampire at that. He is disgusting. How can you trust him? He's hurt you Buffy given the chance he'll do it again."

"Shut up Riley."

"No Buffy it's not right that he is here and I know that the others will agree with me. They'll make him leave. They'll make you…"

Buffy had heard enough and in the blink of an eye she had Riley pinned to the opposite wall, dangling about a foot off the ground. Her voice was sharp and cold as ice when she spoke.

"I am only going to say this once so listen very carefully Riley. I am in charge here so if I say Angel stays then you just deal. Angel is a warrior for the side of the light and if his being here fighting with us saves one life then it's worth the discomfort that you and the others may have to endure. My concern right now is sealing the Hellmouth and then ridding my town of the filth that has infested it." 

The look on her face clearly stated that she included Riley in the "filth" she was referring to.

Buffy then threw Riley to the ground. He lunged and made to grab the crossbow on the table to his right but Buffy did a back flip and got to it first, leveling it off at the commando's head.

"FYI boy, Angel is all man, demon or no and you touch one hair on his head and I will do will make Angel and his demon look like a pair of god damned Boy Scouts. Are we clear?"

Riley nodded but he was still fuming.

"He hurt you Buffy he'll do it again. Guys like that always do."

"Well then Riley I guess I know what I can expect from you right because like you said guys like you don't change."

"What did I ever do but love you?"

Buffy just let out a sarcastic snort.

"Riley take Gunn and get him suited up. We'll do a sweep for survivors in two hours."

"You defend a vampire, you're disgusting."

Buffy was about ready to take Riley out and declare him a casualty of war.

"Right I'm disgusting and you whoring yourself out to them is so much better right?"

Riley paled at Buffy's statement and then hurriedly led Gunn to the supply room. Buffy turned back to Angel's questioning stare. Buffy sighed heavily.

"What?"

Angel just kept staring. He had this uncanny way of making people confess just by looking them in the eye.

"Alright but just remember you asked. Riley has been paying vampires to suck his blood."

"He's been doing what? Oh Jesus Buffy. Why?" 

"He said he wanted to know what it was that held me too you. He thought he could understand the depth of our bond with a cheap one night stand with some vamp bitch who would just as soon drain him."

He suddenly got this funny look on his face before venturing to ask."You uh haven't, I mean…"

SMACK "How could you even think it? I can count on one hand the number of vamp's that have gotten a taste of this." She said while caressing her neck. "The Master, Dracula and of course you."

"Right, I'm sorry I…DRACULA, Dracula…. Dracula has bitten you?" Angel was now pacing and running his hands through his hair.

Buffy slumped her shoulders and internally cursed herself for bringing him up. She should have known that even his male ego couldn't handle that confession. She walked over and tried to put her hand on his shoulder but he bristled.

"Angel…baby, look it didn't mean anything. He did that thrall thing or mind control mumbo-jumbo. I mean if given the choice it would be you…. always and only you." Her voice had dropped to almost a whisper.

Angel turned around and faced her. He knew what Dracula was like; he knew that the "Dark Prince" couldn't resist a shot at bagging a Slayer. He also knew Buffy wouldn't just let any vamp do that to her. He took her into his arms and kissed the top of her head.

"As much as I am enjoying our moment here we need to concentrate on the Hellmouth. There will be an eternity to talk after we close it." Buffy said, reluctantly pulling away from Angel's arms.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Present time - 2011

But there hadn't been an eternity. In fact there hadn't been anything. She had kissed him for luck not goodbye and they said I love you for strength and they embraced warmly. It all happened so fast and was over before it had really begun. If only she had known how long it would be before she would lay eyes on him again she might not have been so quick to let him go.

Buffy lay back on her bed and stared at the ceiling. Tears that she couldn't control were now streaming down her face. Her mind flashed to the scenes from earlier that day, from when she heard him say her name for the first time in ten years. She remembered in vivid detail how, although older and definitely human, he was still the same after all this time. Everything just the way she remembered except he didn't remember her.

She reached into the bedside table and pulled out a little bottle of pills. She hated that she needed them but sometimes when the dreams stole sleep she took them if anything to keep her sane. She opened it and pulled out two of the tiny white sleeping pills and downed them with the glass of wine she had there.

"Sorry Angel, I just can't. It hurts too much tonight." She whispered to the memories that haunted her, memories of her one true love.


	2. Echo's From the Past Chapter 2

Echo's from the Past - Chapter 2

Echo's from the Past

Chapter 2

Buffy cringed as the sun poured in through her bedroom. She wanted nothing more than to crawl deeper underneath the blankets and hide but she knew she couldn't so she flung the blankets back and swung her legs over the side of her bed. She trudged down the stairs and sat herself down at the breakfast table. She felt horrid and she didn't want to function today. She hadn't slept all that well regardless of the two sleeping pills. Visions, almost like snapshots of Angel still filled her subconscious.

Willow walked into the kitchen and her heart was heavy at seeing her friend so worn down and distraught since the battle. In the ten years that Willow and Buffy had roomed together she had never seen her this torn about anything since she thought she had lost Angel.

"Hey Buffy, how are ya?"

"How do I look?"

"Bad."

"Good then I look like I feel."

"Angel dreams again?"

Buffy nodded and then reached for her cup of cold coffee.

"Look Will if you think you could manage without me I'd be grateful for the rest."

"Yea sure Buffy I'm sure we'll be just fine."

When Willow left for the office Buffy went and curled up on the couch and turned on the TV. 

Willow walked into the office and walked over to Susan.

"Good morning Susan."

"Morning Dr. Rosenberg."

"Uh Buffy won't be in today she isn't feeling very well so I need a little of your help today."

"Sure whatever you need me to do."

"Great, I guess for now just the phone and checking in patients."

Willow had a fairly easy and uneventful day. Buffy had indeed chosen a good day to be away from the office. She walked over to the desk and picked up the file of the next patient to be seen. She looked at the name, Liam O'Neill, he was a new patient and he had been in yesterday with Buffy for the information consultation. He was coming in today for a physical exam.

Willow walked over to the door of the examination room; she walked in reading the file she held in her hands. Without looking up she walked over to where Liam sat on the exam table and extended her hand.

"Liam, hello I'm Dr. Rosenberg but you can call me Willow. I understand that you have already been in for the information consultation and this is just a routine physical."

Willow still hadn't looked up from the file in her hands when he spoke.

"Yes it is Willow."

Once Liam spoke he had Willow's full attention as her head snapped up when he spoke her name. She took in the man who sat on the table before her and started when she realized who it was, who it really was.

Willow let out a little gasp and she had dropped the file in her hands to the floor.

"Are you all right?"

"Uh yea, uh no, uh…oh my god."

Liam got down off the table and helped Willow to sit in a chair as she had gone quite pale. He opened the door and found the receptionist Susan and sent her in to speak to Willow. Liam waited outside the room until Willow invited him back in.

"Dr. Rosenberg are you okay?" Susan was concerned.

"I uh I'm not sure."

"I have to say that man must sure be something else."

"Why do you say that?"

"Well when Buffy saw him yesterday she went all weak and pale and went straight home after."

Suddenly Buffy's mood made a lot more sense.

"Susan will you send Liam back in please and cancel the rest of my day."

Liam cautiously entered the room and closed the door. He noticed that Willow was still pale but there was something in her eyes.

"Are you sure you're alright?"

"Yea I'm fine. Let's do that exam now shall we."

Amazingly Willow was able to perform the physical on Liam. As she got into it she realized that she could use this opportunity to look for identifying marks that might help to prove whether or not he was Angel or an incredible carbon copy.

Willow had Liam strip down to his boxers and she looked over his chest as she listened to his heartbeat. It was amazing to hear and it almost moved her to tears. She glanced down and saw the scar on his stomach.

"How did you get this?" She asked pointing to the scar.

"I'm not really sure actually. I've always assumed that I was stabbed and my subconscious blocked it out. Like it was a hellish experience or something."

Willow had Liam lean forward so she could check his back. She was almost afraid to see if Angel's tattoo was still on his shoulder and she let out an audible sigh of relief to see that it was.

"Liam can I ask you something?"

"Sure."

"Have you ever suffered from amnesia or been in any accidents that resulted in severe head trauma?"

"N-no why?"

"Just curious that's all."

When Willow was finished with the examination she left to her office so that Liam could dress. She was writing her finding from the exam not in Liam's medical file but in another notebook so that she could discuss this further with Giles. She was startled once again when she looked up to see that he was standing in the doorway.

"Why did you want to know if I have ever had amnesia?"

"You look like someone I used to know, someone I lost…"

"Ten years ago?"

"Yes."

"I lied earlier. Truth be told I can't remember anything about my life except the last ten years."

Willow couldn't help the grin that broke out on her face at Liam's confession.

"I'm sure I could help you out there Liam. This isn't the best place to discuss this. Will you meet me somewhere so we can talk?"

Willow came in from work to find Buffy still skulking around the house. She took a deep breath and prayed she could pull this off the way she wanted to.

"Hey Buffy."

"Hey Will."

"What did you do today?"

_Tried not to think about how I came face to face with Angel after ten years of nothing._

_ _

"Not much. How was your day?"

"Oh the same, busy. Susan asked about you?"

"Oh."

"Yea she was worried after you took ill. She said you met with my new patient…Liam…and that you went pale and left the office."

"Yeah well it must have been that macaroni salad I'd had for lunch. It must have been bad or something. I'm feeling much better now though."

"Good because I was afraid it might have had something to do with Liam being Angel."

Willow chose that moment to walk out of the room. She walked into the kitchen pulled a bottle of juice from the fridge and counted. 1…2…3…

"How do you know about that?"

"He came in for a physical today Buffy. Did you think the first time I actually had to look at him I wouldn't notice the likeness?"

Buffy opened her mouth to speak but wasn't sure what she would say.

"Why wouldn't you have told me Buffy? I was there from the first kiss until the last. I know what this has done to you."

"I know Will, I just…it overwhelmed me to think that he could be back and he doesn't remember me."

Buffy sat down defeated on the couch and hugged a pillow close to her. Willow's heart broke to see the anguished pain in Buffy's eyes. 

"Buffy are you going to be okay?"

"Aren't I always?"

"I just want to be sure because I'm going out for a few hours. I have some research to do but I won't go unless you want me too."

"No you go. I'll be fine."

Willow went and changed out of her work clothes and slipped into a pair of comfortable jeans and a t-shirt. She grabbed her bag and her car keys and slipped out of the house. She was going to the Magic Box. Giles, although no longer Buffy's Watcher and retired from the Council, had remained the proprietor of the little shop.

The bells that hung above the door rang out announcing Willow's presence. Looking around Willow noted that Giles had a few customers and was occupied at the moment. There had been quite an interest in the supernatural and the occult after the Hellmouth had opened and even after a decade people still believed in the time old adage of 'better safe than sorry.'

Willow caught Giles' eye and waved her hello's. She then went upstairs to Giles' private library, where he kept the books they had used while Giles had still been in capacity as Watcher. She was looking for any prophecies about the End of Days, anything that might give her some clue as to what had happened to Angel.

It was about an hour later when Giles settled down beside Willow. He had served the last of his customers and had locked the doors.

"Willow."

"Hey Giles."

"What are you doing?"

"Research for a friend."

"Research?"

"Yes."

"Well can I help?"

"I was hoping you'd say that. Come on."

"What?"

"Come on. There's someone I'd like for you to meet."


	3. Echo's From the Past Chapter 3

Echo's from the Past - Chapter 3

Echo's from the Past

Chapter 3

Willow walked up the front path to the mansion with Giles in tow and couldn't help but remember all the things that had happened within the walls of the old building. She shivered as memories assaulted her subconscious. She shook it off and knocked on the door. Liam opened it looking more like Angel than ever.

He was dressed in a rich deep maroon silk shirt, which was unbuttoned and open, and a pair of worn leather pants. He had no shoes on and his hair was in the familiar spikes and he smiled his trademark half grin at Willow as he stepped back to let them in. 

He led them into the main room where he had some refreshments laid out and a fire going in the hearth. When they were seated he looked at Willow, studying her a moment.

"Liam, I hope you don't mind but I brought along my friend here. He might be of some help. Liam this is Rupert Giles, Giles this is Liam."

"No of course I don't mind Willow. Any help at all I am more than grateful for."

"Willow what? How? I don't understand." Giles stammered.

Giles was having a hard time with this. Angel had always been a sore spot for him no matter how well he tried to hide it. Angelus had brutally tortured him both physically and mentally and although Angel had tried very hard to prove his worthiness and his remorse there was some part deep within Ripper that would have liked nothing better than to have finished what he had started at the factory all those years ago. However Buffy was as close to a daughter he was ever going to have so he would swallow his feelings and do whatever he could to help.

"It's Angel."

"Angel?"

"Yes."

"Then why is he calling himself Liam?"

"Something happened during the End of Days. It changed him, completely." Willow was looking at Liam who was standing in front of the window watching the sun set in the distance. "He's human and he has no memory of anything before the morning after we sealed the hell mouth." She whispered.

Giles sat back in total and complete awe. First of all it was unprecedented that a vampire had been given back his humanity. Angel, however, always was one to be different and break the rules.

Liam watched how Willow and her friend interacted and he knew that what they could tell him about who he was wouldn't be easy to swallow.

"So Liam what exactly do you remember?"

"Well…"

~*~*~*~*~

10 Years ago…2001 Sunnydale

Angel sat bolt upright, his lungs were seizing for air. It was as if he hadn't used them in a long time. He was disoriented and very sore. There wasn't any part of him that wasn't in some degree of discomfort. He looked around and took in his surroundings but nothing looked familiar, however the city he stood in had been reduced to rubble so he couldn't really go by that.

He tried to remember what had happened to him and the city he stood in but nothing. A heavy black drape cloaked his mind from the light of his memories and he cried out in frustration. He sought out shelter and food and then made his way out of the city. He wasn't sure where it was he was going he just needed to leave here.

He traveled all over the countryside in search of something familiar. He went to China and Europe; he visited Ireland and London and although every place he went to seemed to touch something on the edge of his memory nothing felt like home. It was in Ireland, though, that he found his name.

A little old woman had told him stories about the O'Neill family. She had said that he looked like Liam O'Neill. She had talked about Liam and his younger sister Caitlin and the discord between Liam and his father. When she had told him how it was rumored that Liam had slaughtered his family and friends and the neighbors and that he had rampaged across the world, going by the title the Scourge of Europe it unnerved him but he could help but feel like she was telling the truth. Something in him made him want to bare the O'Neill name, something he couldn't understand.

So he moved from one place to another only staying a few weeks or months before moving on again. City to city, country to country until his dreams had brought him back to Sunnydale.

Right from the very beginning though, from the very first night when he found himself amidst the rubble of the unknown town he later learned to be Sunnydale, Liam had been having dreams about this beautiful blonde girl. At first she never spoke she just kind of watched him. She almost acted like these were her dreams and not his, like she doubted he was real. 

Later on when she seemed to believe that he was real she had allowed him to get closer to her. She was beautiful and she exuded strength and power and yet at the same time she seemed so vulnerable yet she was totally comfortable in Liam's presence. She didn't call him Liam though nor did she ever ask his name. She simply called him Angel.

He remembered the night he learned her name. She had been lying in his lap, her golden hair cascading down his leg as they sat beneath a large Willow tree. She looked up into his face and with all the innocence of a child she asked him.

"Angel why don't you ever say my name?"

"What?"

"You never say my name. I miss the way you say it. Say my name Angel."

She waited patiently for him to say it but when he hadn't spoken she sat up and looked him in the eye, tears glistening in her own.

"Don't you know my name Angel?"

Liam closed his eyes and searched his soul. He desperately wanted to know her name and speak it to her if only to make her smile again. He concentrated and found himself praying to whatever deity would listen for the answer he was searching for. He didn't open his eyes as he opened his mouth and let what he prayed was her name roll off of his lips.

"Buffy."

Liam had looked forward to his meetings with his goddess and in his mind's eye she truly was a goddess. She was kind and loving and protective even of him although he couldn't understand why. He truly believed that she was a product of his imagination. They would laugh and talk or sometimes they would just hold each other. 

Liam never once believed that his goddess might be a real person from his life he couldn't remember until one night about four years after the dreams had started. One night she looked into his eyes and he could see the tears shining in her beautiful hazel eyes and she asked,

'Why won't you come home to me?'

'What do you mean?' I asked confused.

'You left me again. Why? Don't you love me Angel?'

'With everything that I am.'

'Then come home Angel, come to me.'

It had been that conversation that had drawn him back to Sunnydale, drawn him back to her.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

"When I walked into your office and saw her, saw that she was real and she seemed to know me. I saw it in her eyes. I knew I would find answers to my questions here."

"What do you think Giles?" Willow inquired.

"I think we should bring the other's in on this. They may be of help."

"What's going on?" Liam asked as Giles pulled out a phone from his pocket.

"You're going to meet your friends."

Giles had called the gang together. They were all going to meet at the Magic Box including Buffy.

Xander had come with Anya, Cordelia had come with Wesley and Gunn and Buffy had come with Dawn and Tara. They weren't exactly sure why Giles and Willow had called this meeting but they were all curious nonetheless. When Giles and Willow walked into the room everyone had questions.

"So G-man, Will, what's up? I thought the days of Scooby meeting's were gone with the last of the demon's?" Xander asked.

"Yea Giles what's going on?" Buffy inquired.

"Willow and I have asked you all here because we have discovered something and we need your help with it."

"Giles I think I speak for all of us when I say huh?" Buffy stated.

Willow got up and walked into the other room and when she came back she had Angel on her arm.

The whole room sat in stunned silence. They couldn't believe after ten years that Angel was still alive.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

The Battle of The End of Days: Ten Years Ago 2001

Giles and Wesley had found the incantation to seal the Hellmouth. Buffy had organized a mass sweep to make sure that they had cleared out the last of the civilians had been pulled out of the town to safety. When they were sure they had everyone to safety they had begun the ritual.Buffy, Angel and Gunn as well as a handful of their soldiers were doing there best to keep the demons and vampires away so that the Watcher's could do the incantation.

As the ritual words were spoken a mystical cloud of magical energy had formed above the two Watchers'. It grew as they spoke and moved over top of the Hellmouth opening. As the last words of the incantation were spoken the energy cloud dispersed and all was still for a moment. Buffy looked over at Angel locking stares with him for the briefest of moments and then there had been an incredible explosion. 

The blast had knocked everyone surrounding the opening a few feet back and had rendered them all unconscious. Buffy wasn't sure how long she had been out but when she had slowly begun to come around her first thought had been Angel. She had held her head in her hands to mollify the throbbing ache she had due to the impact she had hit the ground with. She got to her feet and looked around her taking in the damage.

Corpses, both demon and human, littered the ground and Buffy saw Giles and Wesley in a heap a few feet away. She stumbled over to them and tried to assess them. Both men had a pulse and seemed to be breathing.

"Giles? Wesley? Are you okay?"

"B-buff-y?" Giles asked weakly. "Did we do it?"

"Yes Giles we did it." Buffy said as tears rolled down her cheeks.

Buffy had searched through the debris and so far Xander, Anya, Willow, Giles, Wesley, Cordelia, Gunn, Dawn, Spike, Tara and Riley had been accounted for but no one had heard from Angel.

"Maybe he went to find shelter after all he is a vampire. You know sunlight bad."

"I don't want maybes I want to see him and hold him and know he's okay."

"Wait until sundown, he'll most likely come to you then."

So wait Buffy did, for ten years Buffy waited with no word, no nothing. Nothing until, that is, now.

~*~*~*~*~*

Present time

Liam shifted uncomfortably under the penetrating gaze of …well everybody.

"So deadboy isn't dead?"

Cordelia shot him a look. Everyone looked at Buffy, who had tears running down her cheeks. She took a tentative step towards him.

"Angel?" She asked hopefully.

Liam held out his hand to her and gratefully Buffy launched herself into his arms, almost knocking them both to the ground.

"You're alive, you're real, and you're here. You're really here." She mumbled into his chest.

Liam looked at Willow and Willow spoke for him.

"Guys this is Liam. He is Angel but he has no memory of being Angel. If fact he has no memory of anything before the sealing of the Hellmouth."

"So he doesn't remember what he was?" Cordelia asked.

"No I don't remember anything. All I know is that this feels like home." Liam said looking down at the goddess in his arms.


	4. Echo's From the Past Chapter 4

Echo's from The Past - Chapter 4

Echo's from The Past

Chapter 4

"So what do we do?" Xander asked.

"I think we should do some research before we do anything." Buffy suggested

"Yes I think research is a good idea. We'll meet at the Magic Box at your convenience." Said Giles.

"Alright, thank you Giles."

So for weeks the gang researched the final battle, the one that seemed to have given Liam a second chance at his humanity. While they had been doing the research Buffy and 'Liam' spent an increasing amount of time together. In fact without the need of a Slayer Buffy and 'Liam' had begun to go on actual dates, something that she and Angel had never really done.

"Tell me about us?" Liam asked of Buffy.

"What do you mean?"

"What kind of a relationship did we have?"

Buffy laughed softly. "A complicated one."

"How so?"

"There were a lot of things, obstacles I guess you could say that got in the way of us being together."

"Were we in love?"

"Yes, very much so."

"Well if we were so in love what happened, why couldn't we just be together?"

How many times had Buffy asked that very question of Angel? How did she explain to this innocent version of the man she loved that he walked away from her? How could she tell him that he didn't believe in them enough to want to even try?

Liam had wanted to know what Buffy had done in the past ten years.

"You really want to know?"

"Yes Buffy I really want to know. You know that I traveled around the world trying to find who I was. I want to know what you have done."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Sunnydale 2001 after the battle

The destruction of the town had been almost complete. The worst of it centered around the old high school, over the opening of the Hellmouth and it had circled out. Buffy had immediately searched out her friends when she had regained consciousness, finding all but Angel.

The idea that she had survived the past five years of absolute hell with him only to lose him now was about more than she could take. She had wanted nothing more than to curl up and wither in her grief but just as they had needed her during the battle the townsfolk of Sunnydale needed her now.

So Buffy once again stepped up to the plate and began organizing search parties that would look for survivors in the ruins. She had set up a base of operations again. Buffy had Xander get those who had any kind of labor skills together and they began sifting through the destruction trying to salvage anything that they could. 

Buffy had traveled by foot to the next city to get more help for the dying little home.Buffy had returned to Sunnydale with a slew of people, supplies and most importantly hope.

It had taken months to clear out the rubble and brick to make way for new homes and businesses and Buffy didn't even want to remember how long it took to gather up all the dead bodies and try to identify them all. Buffy and the gang had been recruited for that because they seemed to know just about everybody in the whole place.

The hardest part of cataloguing the bodies had been when members of the initiative had come through. Buffy had been physically ill when the bodies of Riley and some of his commandos had been brought in. She had been asked to identify their bodies and when the guy had pulled the sheet back on the row of soldiers suddenly the heat and the stench of death and the mottled blue lips on Riley's face just became to much and she backed away falling to the ground and she retched. 

She couldn't believe Riley was dead. He had been alive after the dust had settled. She had found him.

"What? How?" Buffy wanted to ask what had happened but she couldn't make the words form on her tongue. Gratefully the soldier recording the information understood.

"He was going into a building to retrieve both survivors and bodies when the building collapsed on him."

Thankfully though they had been the last to come in and now the business of rebuilding was at hand. It had taken a long while to get Sunnydale back up on its feet again but bit by bit, building by building the community of Sunnydale built a new home. One that they felt better about raising their families in because each and every resident their knew that they could count on their neighbors.

Once the Sunnydale was flourishing again Buffy had taken some time for herself. She just kind of did nothing. She had helped build a lot of the buildings that still stood in Sunnydale today, including the house that her and Willow had been sharing for the past decade.

Xander and Anya had married and had two children, James 2 and Rebecca 5. Xander had his own construction company and he had about 50 men under his employ while Anya stayed home to care for their kids.

Willow although living with Buffy had been on and off with her long time lover Tara. Tara had her own apartment and she had taken over helping Giles at the shop that had been repaired. Amazingly the Magic Box hadn't sustained much damage.

Dawn had stayed with Buffy and Willow until she was old enough to venture out on her own although she didn't go very far. In fact Dawn only moved two blocks away. That was far enough away to be independent but close enough to Buffy in case trouble happened again. 

Gunn had stayed long enough to help but once his help wasn't needed anymore he went back to Los Angeles to his other family and friends.

Then there was Wesley and Cordelia. They had stayed in Sunnydale. Even though Cordelia still got the occasional vision she couldn't bear to go back to LA. The loss of Angel had hit her and Wesley hard, harder than they would have liked to admit. The pair found solace in each other and eventually became a couple. Wesley even helped Cordelia open up a little beauty salon.

Last but not least was Spike. Well Spike was Spike and he had helped when he could although he had stayed in hiding the first few months due to lack of shelter during daylight hours. So he was pretty much responsible for all the repairs that happened to the Magic Box.

So they had all survived through the tragedy and they all had someone to help to get them through the worst of it. Xander had Anya, Willow had Tara and Giles, Cordelia had Wesley and Gunn and even Dawn had Spike but Buffy, Buffy had remained alone. She kept hoping against hope that her Angel would come back to her.

She had her job and she had her friends. She just clung to that in hopes that it would be enough, and it was for a little while.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Present time 2011

As the days turned into weeks and the weeks turned into months, Buffy and Liam had become inseparable. Buffy had never been happier and Liam…well Liam smiled and laughed and shared. Liam had become so open and Buffy felt like she was getting a chance to really know his soul, to know him for the first time.

Buffy had decided it was best right now not to let Liam know certain things about his past. She wasn't sure how he would take to the fact that he had been a 250-year-old master vampire cursed with a soul. She certainly wasn't ready to let him know about Angelus. She couldn't bear to tell him what that the sadistic, vile bastard had done using his hands, especially the things he had done to her.She hadn't been able to tell Angel all the things Angelus had done to her when he had returned from Hell and that was when he knew what his demon was capable of. How could she make Liam come to grips with it when Angel never could? It was difficult sometimes because Liam, rightfully so, would ask a lot of questions.

Six months later all the research had panned out. Giles had found a prophecy regarding the vampire with a soul and the battle of the End of Days. Giles had gathered the gang together to share his findings although they thought it would better if they didn't share with Liam just yet. Buffy left Liam to do his Tai Chi while she spoke to Giles.

"Hey guys."

"Hey Buffy."

"So what did you find?"

"Well we found a prophecy regarding Angel and the End of Days. It says here that the dark warrior for the side of the light, the fallen angel will fight in the End of Days. It says that should the light conquer and the Hellmouth be sealed all demons will be banished to the demon dimension. The demon will fall and the soul will rise having atoned and receive his reward."

"So then his demon was banished and he regained his life?" Willow tried to understand it.

"In essence, yes." Giles said.

"I don't understand the memory loss though. I mean the last time he turned human he didn't forget what or who he was, why now?" Buffy said almost to herself.

"Excuse me? Did you say the last time he turned human? He's done this before?" Giles was incredulous.

Buffy inwardly cringed and nodded. She hadn't meant to share that.

"Would you care to explain?"

"Well you remember Thanksgiving '99 when Angel came up here to help with that Indian spirit?"

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Buffy had remembered the day that wasn't shortly after they had sealed the Hellmouth. She recanted how she had gone down to LA ready to tell Angel to stay away and while she was doing just that a demon burst through Angel's office window. They had struggled with the demon but it had eluded them. Buffy helped Angel to track it, this leading them into the sewers. They had separated and Angel had been the one to find and kill the demon. However some of the demon's blood had mixed with Angel's with astounding consequences.

Buffy had been standing on the pier when she felt him. It was the middle of the day; he couldn't be out here, could he? Buffy turned around only to come face to face with her Angel and he was standing in the direct sunlight. He looked amazing as the sun played off of his face. He was breathtaking and for a moment Buffy thought she was dreaming until Angel swept her up into his arms and kissed her. It was then that she noticed the pink in his cheeks, his breath on her face, the warmth of his touch and the most amazing thing she had ever heard…the sound of Angel's heart beating steadily in his chest.

"You're alive." She whispered almost afraid to say the words that it might only be a dream.

She explained how they had gone back to Angel's apartment and had maturely discussed what they would do with this newfound knowledge. She and Angel had decided to take things slow and to be sure that there wasn't another loop hole like his curse. Then Buffy had stood to leave and Angel had stood to say goodbye and then she laid her hand atop his and all their good intentions had flown out the window.

Buffy had spared them the intimate details of their incredible day. She had told them about how Angel had gone with Doyle to fight the demon that they thought they had killed without her and how she had gotten there just in time to save the both of them. She had told them how Angel had gone to the Oracles and had given his life in exchange for hers. The price of which would be that he alone bare the burden of their memories.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"He gave up his chance at humanity to save your life?" Willow was stunned. She always knew Angel was selfless but even this was more than she would have expected from him.

"Is it really that hard to believe? I mean Angel has always had my best intentions at heart."

"Yea sure except for those few months he was trying to kill you and all your loved ones." Xander quipped.

Xander had always disliked Angel and it seemed that even after everything Angel had done to prove his worth, in Xander's eyes it would never be enough.

"How can you be sure that it was real Buffy and not just a dream?"

"I just know Giles besides none of that matters now."

"I guess you're right. We have found a spell that might work to restore Angel's memories…"

"I hear a but."

"But it is a very powerful spell and thus makes it quite dangerous. You may want to consider Liam's well being before telling him about this."

"I want you to get things ready to do the spell."

"Buffy you need to be absolutely sure about this."

"I am sure Giles."

"Just make sure you are doing this for the right reasons and be prepared to deal with the consequences."

"Giles I have a chance to get my Angel back and I'm sure Liam wants his memories back."

"I know Buffy I just want you to think about, just be sure for your sake and Liam's."

Buffy had agreed to think about what the spell entailed before Telling Liam about it. 

Buffy had gone straight home and reluctantly thought about what Giles had said. They had a way to get her Angel back but did she really want to do that. As much as she wanted to look into those eyes and see recognition in them did she really want to see the anguish and guilt that would inevitably be returned?

Who was she doing this for anyway? Angel had no idea about what had happened between them and yet he still had a connection with her. He came to Sunnydale because of her. Wasn't that enough? Was the price she would have to pay be worth what she got in the end? Would Angel be grateful or would he leave her again. Was she taking this risk to have him know her only to have him hate her?

Liam had been so happy and carefree these days, could she really be so selfish as to take that away from him? She also thought about how she might lose this Angel in the process. Liam, Angel, the way he was now, was incredible. Buffy had been able to really get to know him and he had been so forthcoming with his emotions and feelings. He still loved her right, and he was still her Angel. Buffy cursed the Power's for doing this to her, for playing with her life the way they did.

Buffy didn't realize it but the Powers were watching her as she struggled to make this decision. Although the Hellmouth had been closed there was nothing stopping a powerful demon from trying to reopen it so the Powers kept watch, ready to call back the warriors from the side of the light if needed. So there were still Slayers trained and the Watcher's Council was still intact.

The Powers had been intrigued by the alliance of a vampire, a master vampire at that, especially one with the reputation that Angelus had, and a vampire Slayer, again with a reputation that preceded her. Even more amazing was the fact that they fell in love. Oh and what a love it was. It was powerful and almost tangible, a force to be reckoned with no doubt. 

The Powers had been watching when Buffy had faced off with Angel the first time. When they had admitted that they had wanted to kill one another but Buffy had laid down her crossbow and had offered Angel her neck. 

They had been watching the first time Buffy looked past the demon, her only concern being for the man. They watched as she offered her life for his when he had been poisoned. They had looked on when they had consummated their love. Their moment of greatest ecstasy had resulted in their greatest moment of agony when Buffy had to send her ensouled Angel to Hell on the end of her sword to save the world. They had watched the pair fight side by side as a perfectly synchronized team and fight against each other in the true nature of their calling as vampire and Slayer.

Buffy had always put everyone and everything above what she wanted. The question was could she do it again? Could she sacrifice her happiness for his? The Powers hoped that their warrior was that noble. 

So Buffy lay in her bed trying to sort out her feelings when there was a knock at the door. Buffy opened the door to see Angel standing there in a red t-shirt and blue jeans, another thing about Angel that had changed, and she couldn't help but smile.

"You said you were coming over after you're meeting and when you didn't show I got worried. Is everything alright?"

"It is now that you're here."

"Have you eaten, cause I heard about this great new place that just opened up."

"Sounds great, just let me grab my bag."


	5. Echo's From the Past Chapter 5

Echo's From The Past - Chapter 5

Author's Note: Song is by Amanda Marshall.

Echo's From The Past

Chapter 5

Liam led Buffy into the restaurant and they stood in line waiting to be seated. Liam stood behind Buffy and she automatically leaned into him and his arms slipped around her waist without a thought. It was just like it had always been between them. Buffy closed her eyes and couldn't help think about how good it felt to be in these arms.

Buffy was snapped out of her reverie by Liam nudging her in the direction of the waitress who was showing them to their table. She watched Liam closely as he spoke with the waitress, ordering for both of them. It was amazing how different he was now to how he had been before. Without the guilt or constant pain and reminders of the things his demon had done it was like he stood taller because he didn't have the burden of Angelus on his shoulders anymore.

It was also amazing how Liam seemed to instinctively know what Buffy liked. He knew what her favorite foods were; he knew just what to do to calm her down. He knew how she liked to be touched and when he shouldn't touch her at all. In all the ways that were important he had remembered her, even if she had been lost in his mind his soul remembered her.

They ate their meal making small talk. Liam avoided anything heavy somehow just knowing that Buffy already had a lot on her mind. He'd sat close enough so he could hold her hand every now and then and they had shared one desert, feeding each other and laughing.

Buffy had excused herself to go to the ladies room. While Buffy was washing her hands and fixing her hair and makeup another girl came up to the sink.

"I hope you don't think I'm out of place here but I just wanted to tell you that you are so lucky."

"Why do you say that?" Buffy asked confused.

"I have been watching your date and I've never seen anyone so in love with someone else. It's nice to know love like that still exists."

Then the girl walked out of the bathroom leaving a stunned Buffy behind.

Buffy came out and headed back to their table but Liam was nowhere to be found. She looked around but to no avail.

"He's over there." The waitress said, pointing to the stage.

"Okay ladies and gentlemen it's amateur talent night and we have our first victim. Let's put our hands together for Liam."

"Hi everyone just wanted to warn you that I might just suck at this but Buffy it comes from my heart."

I don't know what I was thinking, 'til I was thinking of you 

_I don't remember a thing before I opened my eyes and you came into view_

_I don't know what I was doing when there was nothing to do_

_Must've been waiting for someone baby, now I can see I was waiting for you_

_ _

_I'd give up my sight just to see you, I'd beg, I would borrow and steal_

_I'd cut off my hands just to touch you and tear out my heart so you'd know how I feel_

_There's nowhere that I wouldn't follow, nothing that I wouldn't do_

_Cause I wouldn't wanna be me if I didn't have you_

_ _

_Driving myself to distraction until you got in my way_

_I was just whistling Dixie 'til you struck up the band and they started to play_

_I don't know how I was living until you came in my life_

_I always knew there was something missing then you came along baby you made it right_

_ _

_I'd give up my sight just to see you, I'd beg, I would borrow and steal_

_I'd cut off my hands just to touch you and tear out my heart so you'd know how I feel_

_There's nowhere that I wouldn't follow, nothing that I wouldn't do_

_Cause I wouldn't wanna be me if I didn't have you_

_ _

_I was alone in the silence 'til I was hearing your voice_

_I couldn't see my way clear until you parted the clouds and you gave me a choice_

_I couldn't pick up the pieces 'til I was falling apart_

_I didn't know I was bleeding 'til your love fixed this hole baby here in my heart_

_ _

_I'd give up my sight just to see you, I'd beg, I would borrow and steal_

_I'd cut off my hands just to touch you and tear out my heart so you'd know how I feel_

_There's nowhere that I wouldn't follow, there's no place that I'd rather be_

_Cause life without you would be hollow_

_This love is a gift and you gave it to me_

_All that I am you have made me and baby I know that it's true_

_I'd give it all up in a heartbeat just to spend every moment with you_

_There's nowhere that I wouldn't follow, nothing that I wouldn't do_

_Cause I wouldn't wanna be me if I didn't have you_

_ _

Buffy's eyes filled with tears. Liam walked off the stage and over to Buffy through the applauding crowd. When he reached the table she was waiting with open arms. Liam embraced her warmly and pulled back only far enough to be able to kiss her and wipe away the tears that were streaming down her face.

Buffy and Liam left the restaurant and headed back to his place.

Once inside Liam's apartment Buffy collapsed onto the couch. Liam had gone into the kitchen and fixed himself a cup of tea.

"Do you want something to drink?"

"Whatever you're having will be fine."

Buffy thought about what she'd said and couldn't help but giggle. There was a time when all Angel had in his kitchen was o-positive. Liam came out with two cups of tea, handing one to her.

"What's so funny," he asked smiling down at her.

"Nothing."

"No, come on. Tell me"

Buffy looked into Liam's eyes and then took a sip of her tea. When she'd tasted it she couldn't help the tear that slipped down her cheek.

"What is it Buffy? Please talk to me."

She looked up into his pleading eyes and for a moment she wanted nothing more than to tell him everything. She wanted to tell him about their first meeting all the way to the final battle and everything in between. 

"I can't. I don't know how."

"What do you mean?"

"I want nothing more than to tell you what you were, what I was. I want to tell you everything that happened, the good and the bad. I want you to know where we started from and where we ended up but I can't."

"Why?"

"Because…because I'm selfish. I want to look in your eyes and see that you know me but I don't want to see the pain. God this is so hard."

Buffy started crying and Liam reached out to her but Buffy pulled away.

"It's hard because you don't know, you don't have Angel's memories but sometimes you do things just the way he did. Things like this cup of tea, I never told you how I take my tea and yet you made it perfectly. You know what I like to eat, you know just how I like to be touched, and you know just what to say and for a moment I think I have you back but I don't. I don't and I think it doesn't matter because I…" Buffy's voice broke.

Liam pulled Buffy into his arms holding her close and stroking her hair. He brushed the tears that fell away from her face and placed a kiss atop her head.

"I…" Buffy tried again.

"You what?" Liam coaxed.

"I love you. I try not to but I can't stop." Buffy slid closer into his embrace.

"Me too. I can't stop either. Buffy, maybe we shouldn't…"

"Don't. Just kiss me."

Buffy never stopped to think that she and Angel had said those very words the fateful night of her seventeenth birthday as she pulled his mouth down over her own. 

"I should go." Buffy said having reluctantly breaking their kiss.

Liam simply took her by the hand and led her to the bedroom. Without a word he undressed her and gave her a shirt of his own to wear like an oversized nightshirt. He then slipped out of his shirt and pants. He pulled the bed covers back and crawled into the bed, holding his hand out to her.

"Stay with me."

Buffy just smiled softly taking, Liam's hand and falling into bed beside him.

"Forever. That's the whole point."

_ _


	6. Echo's From the Past Chapter 6

Echo Chapter 6

Author's notes: Anything in italics is taken directly from episodes of Buffy the Vampire Slayer or Angel.

Echo's From The Past

Chapter 6

Buffy curled into Liam's embrace, pillowing her head on his chest. It wasn't long until she was lulled into unconsciousness. It was no wonder when Liam was rhythmically stroking her back and whispering softly in that familiar nonsensical way of his while she felt the incredible vibration of his heartbeat beneath her. Truth be told just being in his arms was enough to relax her. It was one of the only times she ever felt like she could truly let herself go, to let herself dream.

*~*~*~*~*~*

(Dream sequence)

Buffy opened her eyes and looked around to find she was in a movie theater. It was completely empty but suddenly a movie began playing across the screen. Buffy sat in one of the chairs and watched in amazement as she saw the first time she met Angel play out before her.

Buffy walked towards the Bronze but couldn't help but feel she was being followed. She ducked down an alley and looked for someplace to hide. Angel walked around the corner into the alley. He seemed to be looking for her. Buffy swung down from a pipe above the alley knocking Angel to the ground. She stood above him with one foot placed on his chest. He looked up at her with those eyes.

_"Is there a problem ma'am?"_

_"There's a problem. Why are you following me?"_

_"I know what you're thinking, but don't worry. I don't bite."_

_ _

_Buffy's defenses shot back up and she took a step back away from him ready to drop into a fighting stance if needed. He stood rubbing his neck._

_ _

_"Truth is I thought you'd be taller or bigger: muscles and all that. You're pretty spry though."_

_"What do you want?" She demanded._

_"Same thing you do."_

_"Okay, what do I want?"_

_"To kill them. To kill them all," He said seriously._

_"Sorry! That's incorrect, but you do get this lovely watch and a years supply of turtle wax…what I want is to be left alone."_

_"Do you really think that's an option anymore? You're standing at the mouth of hell and it's about to open."_

_ _

"Seems so long ago doesn't it?"

Buffy turned only to find Angel sitting one row behind her and leaning forward on the back of the chair beside her.

"We were so naïve then, both of us. We didn't know what we were getting ourselves into."

"I wouldn't change it." Buffy stated.

"You wouldn't? You would do it all the same?"

"Yes."

"If you could go back knowing what has happened you'd do it again?"

"Yes."

Angel pulled a remote control out and pointed it behind him. The images on the screen changed.

_"Shhh I…"_

_"You what?"_

"I love you. I try not to but I can't stop."

_"Me too, I can't either."_

Buffy watched the screen as she and Angel made love, the prelude to six months of hell with Angelus.

"You would do that again? " He didn't wait for a response before flicking to the next image.

_"What's happening?"_

_"Shhh don't worry about it. I love you."_

_"I love you."_

"Close your eyes."

_ _

"What about that Buffy?" The images changed again.

_"I'm trying to do what's right here. I'm trying to think with my head instead of my heart."_

_"Heart? You have a heart? It isn't even beating."_

_"Don't."_

_"Don't what? Don't love you? I'm sorry. You know what? I didn't know I got a choice in that. I'm never going to change. I can't change. I want my life to be with you."_

_"I don't."_

_ _

_"How am I supposed to go on with my life knowing what we had? What we could've had?"_

_"You won't. No one will know but me."_

_"Everything we did?"_

_"It never happened."_

_"It did. It did. I know it did. I felt your heartbeat."_

_ _

"And that?"

Buffy brushed the tears away from her eyes as she found her voice.

"Yes."

"Why?"

"Because it wasn't all bad."

She grabbed the remote away from him and she flicked it the way he had. To her surprise and satisfaction happier times for them appeared on the screen.

_"You really don't care what happens a year from now? Five years from now?"_

_"Angel when I look in to the future all I see is you. All I want is you."_

_"I know the feeling."_

_ _

_"Stay with me?"_

_"Forever. That's the whole point. I'll never leave, not even if you kill me."_

_ _

_"You still my girl?"_

_"Always."_

_ _

_"There's no comparison. In 243 years I've loved exactly one person."_

_"Oh. It is me right?"_

_ _

_"Angel, you're going to live. You have to live."_

_"How?"_

_"Drink. Drink me."_

_ _

The last image that played out was one from the day that wasn't.Buffy and Angel watched as a very human Angel and Buffy made love and shared junk food and loved each other for the first time without fear.

"I would do it all over again in a heartbeat if only because I would have you. Everything we did and said, it all made me who I am today. I'm better for have knowing you. I'm alive because of you. I fight for my future because you're in it."

"Yea, let's look at the future you got with me, shall we?"

"Angel." 

"No Buffy, you said you fight for your future because I'm in it. In this future I am human but I don't know what we had. I don't know what made us love each other or leave each other. This future me isn't me at all. Hell even Angelus knew what we had even if he mocked it."

Buffy turned away from Angel, not wanting to cry in front of him.

"See Buffy I hurt you no matter what I am. As Angelus I tried to kill you, as Angel I broke your heart so why do you want to give that back to him? Why do you want to make him live with the guilt and self-hatred? Why do you want him to gain this knowledge when the price might be losing him all together."

Buffy took a minute to think about it.

"Someone once told me that the bottom line is even if you see 'em coming your not ready for the big moments. No one asks for their life to change, not really, but it does. So are we helpless? Puppets? No. The big moments are gonna come. You can't help that. It's what you do afterwards that counts. That's when you find out who you are. You'll see what I mean."

Buffy turned so she could look Angel in the eye.

"I believe this is one of those defining moments you know. I believe that you and Liam are one and the same because to say otherwise would state that you were nothing more than the demon and we both know that's not true."

Buffy stood and leaned over the seat to steal a kiss from Angel. The kiss said more than any words ever could about their feelings for one another. Buffy reluctantly pulled away and began walking towards the door.

"Where are you going?"

"To live my life. I have a bright future ahead of me with the man that I love."

"Angel?"

"Yes?"

"Had I known my heart would break, I would have loved you anyway."

With that said she slipped through the door knowing within moments she would be awake.

_ _

If I'd a known the way that this would end 

_If I'd a read the last page first_

_If I'd a had the strength to walk away_

_If I'd a known how this would hurt_

_ _

_I would have loved you anyway_

_I would do it all the same_

_Not a second I would change_

_Not a touch I would trade_

_Had I known my heart would break_

_I would have loved you anyway_

_ _

_It's bittersweet to look back now_

_At memories withered on the vine_

_Just to hold you close to me_

_For a moment in time_

_ _

_I would have loved you anyway_

_I'd do it all the same_

_Not a second I would change_

_Not a touch I would trade_

_Had I known my heart would break _

_I would have loved you anyway_

_ _

_And even if I'd seen it coming_

_You'd still have seen me runnin'_

_Straight into your arms_

_I would have loved you anyway_

_I would have loved you anyway_

_ _

_*lyrics by Trisha Yearwood_

_ _

Author's note: Chapter 7 is being completed as you are reading this and I hope to post it by Tuesday July 10 at the latest. 

**Although I still want to know what you think of this story. So please GIVE ME FEEDBACK just go easy on the**

**flames.**


	7. Echo's From the Past Chapter 7

Echo - Chapter 7

Author's Note: the words in italics is an original poem by me.

Echo's From the Past

Chapter 7

Buffy could feel herself slowly coming back to consciousness. She looked over at the clock beside the bed, 9:30am. She wasn't used to sleeping so late but then since she started spending more time with Liam she found things that used to plague her before had vanished now.

Buffy reached over wanting to snuggle with Liam but found his side of the bed empty. Buffy sat up and looked around the room. When there was no sign of Liam there she ventured out of the bedroom.

"Liam? Liam? Are you here."

Buffy wandered into the kitchen only to find it empty but she did find a note on the table. 

Buffy 

_ _

_Hope you slept well; I couldn't bear to wake you. There is breakfast in the fridge and coffee on the counter. I have gone over to the Majick Shop so when you wake up meet me there._

_ _

_Always,_

_Liam_

_ _

Buffy smiled to herself and shuffled over to the counter and poured herself a cup of coffee. She took her coffee into the living room and settled onto the couch. She sat there perfectly content with the way things were. She had Angel and all was right with the world.

A flashing light caught Buffy's eye and she turned to see it was the answering machine message light. She pressed the play button and listened as Giles' voice filled the room.

****Buffy we have the memory restoration spell ready to go whenever you are. I will be at the shop all afternoon so…

…Hello? Hello? Giles?…

…Liam, is that you?…

…Yes. What's this about a memory restoration spell…****

Buffy hadn't stuck around to hear how the recorded conversation ended as Buffy was out the door and on her way to Giles' before anything happened she couldn't undo.

What is it about you You make me whole The first time, in your eyes I lost myself in those depths Consumed to my very soul  What is it about you You're near, I'm impossibly light Big strong hands Achingly gentle touch Not wrong, gods so right  What is it about you You mold to me Second skin Cooling fire in your touch Electricity crackles Forbidden inferno 

What is it about you Your essence envelopes I want your eternity Damnation, salvation 

_You're the cause_

_You're the cure_

_You're love infinite_

_What is it about you_

_ _

~*~*~*~*~*~

Giles' apartment about an hour before Buffy wakes up

Liam arrived at the Majick Shop and wasn't surprised at all to find both Willow and Tara already there. When he had intercepted the phone message that was presumably for Buffy but directly affected him and he couldn't help but want to go over and find out what exactly was involved in restoring his memories.

"Liam you do understand that you may not like what you remember and things between you and Buffy could be altered and not necessarily for the best."

"Giles I look in Buffy's eyes and I can see that she wants her Angel back. It means a lot to her."

"Yes Liam but this is still your life."

"True but Buffy is my life, she has been for the past decade. I feel in my heart and soul that it's been longer than that and I want to remember what it is we shared, what we went through. I want to be able to grow old with Buffy and have this bank of memories to draw from, to tell to our children."

"All right if you are certain then."

"Yes I am."

Giles, Willow and Tara began preparing for the start of the ritual. They had made a circle on the floor in which Liam was too stand. They had lit several ceremonial candles and each of the three had taken of their positions around Liam, creating a triangle.

"Guardian of light hear my plea

Take of my offering and heed my request

Lift the veil from your child's eyes

As it once was again so shall…"

"NOOOOOO GILES STOP."

Buffy came into the room like a tornado almost knocking Giles down in her attempt to get to Liam. She crossed over the protective circle that encompassed him and she brought her hands to his face. 

"Did you do it? Did you change him?"

Buffy frantically searched Liam's eyes for the answers she wasn't getting from …well anyone.

"Buffy I don't understand. I thought you wanted this for Liam."

"I did until I realized that in all the ways that matter Liam is Angel. So what if we don't have a past what's important is that we have a future and …(Buffy choked back a sob) I love him."

Buffy nuzzled into Liam's embrace and she visibly relaxed almost melted further into him when she felt his arms wrap around her.

"Buffy I'm curious about what brought this change of attitude?"

"Well Giles it's simple. It was Angel."

Buffy giggled when she looked round at four stunned and confused faces.

"I had a dream last night with Angel, my Angel and we talked. Well actually we argued in classic Buffy Angel style. He made me realize what we had and what Liam and I have and although Liam doesn't remember the first time we met or what happened the first time we kissed, I do. I cherish those memories but I want to make new memories with you. I don't want to lose him again, no matter what he remembers."

Liam gave a chuckle as he stroked Buffy's hair. 

"How could I possibly forget the day we met when you attacked me in that alley behind the Bronze. God the look on your face was priceless."

Buffy pulled back and stared at Liam incredulously. Liam noted that Willow and Giles had the same look of stunned shock on their faces.

"How…I thought…huh…you r-re-remember?"


End file.
